Green Chimneys Farm

Introduction

The Green Chimneys School is world renown for its unique work of combining the counseling of emotionally disturbed youths with the rehabilitation
of injured wild animals. The Green Chimneys Farm is located on Doansburg Road, just over the Southeast-Patterson town line, near the
Putnam Lake community.

Green Chimneys teaches children basic living and coping skills, especially anger management, by allowing them to care for injured wildlife and resident
farm animals. Working with animals requires patience and the development of a bond between the child and the animal. The children who are receiving care thus
become caregivers themselves to the animals. Many of the Farm's animals have become part of the Children's Petting Zoo in Central Park, New York City. Green
Chimneys staff also provides family counseling and supervised family visits, if necessary. The children are considered special education students, and attend
classes on the Farm. Most have come from other residential facilities where they were treated unsuccessfully. The average child stays at Green Chimneys for
about 2.5 years.

Green Chimneys offers other programs at other sites in Putnam and Westchester Counties, New York City, and Northern Fairfield in Connecticut, including programs
for runaway teens, developmentally delayed youth, homeless youth, and other educational services. The Farm also is involved with organic agriculture, and produces
vegetables, eggs, honey, maple syrup, and wool. Hillside Outdoor Education Center, another Green Chimneys program, attracts approximately 20,000 school children
each year on field trips to learn about the environment and nature.

The Green Chimneys Farm in Patterson

The Dentons were the earliest known owners of the property now known as Green Chimneys. The farm was then known as the Dell-Howe farm and was located
near the area once known as DeForest Corners. The Dentons were one of the circus families that lived in the vicinity of the eastern Patterson-Southeast
town border in the 19th century. Mrs. Denton is believed to have been a Howe, one of the circus familes. Mr. Denton was a bareback rider, and often could
be seen practicing his riding skills within the grounds of his farm. He also kept elephants on a portion of the Dell-Howe Farm that is no longer owned by
the present Green Chimneys School.

The next known owner of the farm was Col. Henry Breckenridge, who continued to use
the name Dell-Howe Farm. According to local folklore, Breckenridge hired a migrant laborer to paint the chimneys on the farmhouse. The laborer found some
green paint, and painted the chimneys and barn cupolas green. The green color was a novelty, since most chimneys were painted white, black, or red, and it
made the Breckenridge farm easy to find and a topic of conversation. One of the Breckenridge farm hands was Blanche Saunders, who wrote several books on dog
obedience training. Her earliest and most successful book was titled, Training You to Train Your Dog, published by Doubleday in 1946. She also authored,
Dog Care and Training for Boys and Girls and The Blanche Saunders Obedience Training Courses: Novice; Open; Utility (with Tracking), among other
books. Saunders established Carillon Kennels and was a breeder of Standard French Poodles. In the early years of the Green Chimneys School, Saunders and fellow
trainer and author Catherine Reilly gave an obedience training demonstation to students of the School. Saunders died in 1964, but her memory is kept alive by the
Poodle Club of America which awards an annual trophy in her name to the highest scoring poodle at the club's National Specialty competition.

In 1935, Breckenridge sold the farm to former New York State Senator
Ward V. Tolbert of Pelham Manor. The farmhouse was a former stagecoach inn of colonial saltbox
architecture, and was already 200 years old when Dr. S. Bernard Ross purchased the 75 acre dairy farm from Tolbert's widow in 1947. The green-colored
chimneys remain, and gave the farm its new name. Dr. Ross operated the Farm as a private boarding school along with his son, Samuel B. "Rollo" Ross. The
school was named "The Green Chimneys Farm for Little Folk".

A damaged 19th century photo of the Denton farm house.

A 20th century photo of the Denton farm house. The structure was destroyed by fire in 1953 and
had been the main building in the Green Chimneys School complex.

Ward Tolbert died in 1946, and his wife, Laura decided to sell the farm. This real estate ad describes the
property. The price had been reduced at the time this ad was prepared. The location is listed as "Brewster" although the farm
is really in the town of Patterson.

(all photos - Dr. Samuel B. "Rollo" Ross)

Dr. S. Bernard Ross was born in New York City on March 30, 1891. Dr. Ross was a graduate of the College of Physicians and Surgeons at
Columbia University in 1912. He was a surgeon at Bellevue Hospital in New York City, and maintained a private practice until 1924. In 1924,
Dr. Ross teamed with John W. Hogan, who was an associate justice of the Court of Appeals, to create the medical office at the Hotel Roosevelt.
As house physician, Dr. Ross treated many celebrities from the worlds of politics and theater. Dr. Ross was also the physician for the
Metropolitan Opera Company. He also worked with the Department of Health as a diagnostician in the bureau of preventable diseases for more
than thirty years. In 1934, as president of the Public Health Officers Association of New York City, he fought for higher salaries for public
health workers. After moving to Putnam Lake in 1947, Dr. Ross became a member of the Putnam County Medical Society, the Medical Society of the
State of New York, and the American Association of Industrial Physicians and Surgeons. He continued commuting to his practice in New York City
until December 31, 1955, when he retired as resident physician for the Hotel Roosevelt. He had held the position since the hotel opened in
1924. He then opened a private practice that operated from a cottage on the Green Chimneys grounds. Dr. Ross retired to Marco Island, Florida
in 1977, where he died on July 13, 1979 at the age of 88.

The Green Chimneys Farm for Little Folk opened in 1948 with eleven students whose parents paid for them to be boarded at the school. From the
start, the plan was to provide an environment where children and animals could live together in a farm setting. Dr. Ross, his son, Samuel
("Rollo"), and Adele MacDonald, a nurse working for Dr. Ross, established the School as a boarding school for pre-school aged children. There
were few such schools for the very young, and it was anticipated that the new school would fill a void. Single parents, for example, might find
the boarding school concept attractive since the demands of a job might mean little time to devote to a child. Their instinct were correct. A
series of ads placed in various publications in 1948, including the New York Times and Vogue, resulted in over one hundred
inquiries. Housemothers were employed to tend to the needs of each child, essentially becoming substitute parents. A night staff brushed the
teeth of children and put them to bed. The School community was a large family. Teachers, staff, and children ate meals together and celebrated
birthdays and holidays together. The success of the boarding school led to the demand for day classes and day camps, which were quickly added.
By 1952 the mission of the school had been expanded to include childen aged 2-9. The School's continued success led to a further expansion of
its mission, and children aged 2-12 were admitted in 1957, with Green Chimneys providing pre-school through 6th grade classes.

As the School expanded and grew, Rollo Ross realized that some of his students, even some of the brighest and most gifted, had social, behavorial,
or emotional problems that were preventing them from reaching their full potential. He and his staff gave extra attention to those students, and many
of the students were able to overcome their difficulties. By the mid-1950s it was apparent to Rollo Ross that the focus of the School was changing as
it was gaining a reputation for helping children with special needs.

The Green Chimneys School

Tragedy struck Green Chimneys on Monday afternoon, February 2, 1953, when fire destroyed the old farmhouse, which was the main building
in the complex. The fire was discovered at 4:30 PM when employees noticed smoke coming from basement windows. Twenty-five children ranging
in age from 3 years to 8 years were quickly evacuated from the building and led to the gym. The
Putnam Lake Fire Dept. was summoned, and, in turn, summoned the
Patterson Fire Dept. to assist. Putnam County Sheriff
Frank Lyden arrived and requested assistance from the Brewster Fire Dept. Authorities closed East
Branch Road so that it could be used by emergency vehicles. Sub-zero temperatures hindered the efforts of firefighters, and three firefighters
were injured when the roof of the structure collapsed. The Putnam Lake Inn sent hot
coffee for the firefighters, who had to change clothes frequently as their clothing became wet from the hoses. The fire quickly
destroyed the recently redecorated building, which housed the dining room, kitchen, living room, playroom, laundry, and storage room. An
adjoining dormitory building was saved when firemen cut through the connecting passageway to separate the buildings. The fire was
brought under control by 8:00 PM, and was thought to have begun in the basement near the boiler room. Seven women from Putnam Lake who
were employed by the school, took the children home with them for the night. The school received many other offers of shelter. The
next day, school manager Adele MacDonald announced that the children would return to the school dormitory building. Her home, located
elsewhere on the Green Chimneys property, would be used for meals. A large recreation hall in a
converted barn would be used for classes and recreation.

A new building was hastily constructed after the fire, and an open house was held in May, 1953. The building was considered modern, and had
pine paneling and up-to-date school equipment. An office featured a glass window that would allow the children to be observed without them
noticing. The building also contained a modern kitchen and full laundry facilities. PFC Rollo Ross of the U. S. Medical Corps. was granted a
one-week leave from his base in Fort Jackson, South Carolina, to be present at the event. He was an educational director at the school.

Laura Tolbert in an undated photograph. She sold the Green Chimneys farm to Dr. Ross and his son
Rollo in 1935 for $35,000.

The main house in 1936. The dirt road in the foreground is the present Doansburg Road.

The guest cottage, now used as a kindergarten.

The caretaker cottage in a 1930s photograph. The house is now the residence of Green Chimneys School co-founder
Dr. Samuel B. "Rollo" Ross. The Mitchell family was the caretaker for the Tolberts.

The rear of the main house in a 1930s photograph.

A sketch of the rebuilt main house. The original structure was destroyed by fire in 1952.

(all photos - Dr. Samuel B. "Rollo" Ross)

Besides his activities in Green Chimneys, Dr. S. B. Ross was visible in the Putnam community at large. Dr. Ross was often asked to respond to emergency
medical calls in Putnam Lake, and, in September, 1959, was appointed to the Putnam County Plumbing Board. The
appointment was made by Patterson Supervisor Emil Buechel, who was also the chairman of the
Putnam County Board of Supervisors. The Board of Supervisors was the governing body in Putnam County before the County Executive / County
Legislator form of government was adopted in 1979. County law required a physician to serve on the Plumbing Board. Dr. Ross'
appointment was for a term of three years. By the mid-1960s, Dr. Samuel B. (Rollo) Ross Jr. was serving as the chairman of the Patterson Planning Board.
He was also a member of the Brewster School Board.

In the 1960s, the Green Chimneys programs expanded, and the School taught children from pre-school to grade 8. The School was now
attracting children from around the United States, and also from Canada, Central America, South America, and other countries. The
programs were gradually changing to accommodate children with special needs. Green Chimneys became a social services agency in 1974,
allowing it to receive some government funding. The School began to provide more services for children considered "at risk". Traditional
school programs were replaced by programs for children with special needs, but these new programs continued to use animals as part of the
programs. The School provided 24-hour programs with special education and mental health services, limited to children from New York
State. A Residential Treatment Center (RTC) was created to care for emotionally disturbed and learning disabled children referred to
Green Chimneys from social services departments and public schools around the State.

Also in the 1970s, Green Chimneys added 50 nearby acres to its complex, and created the Hillside Outdoor Education Center. The
Center offered programs to the general public on topics including farming and the environment. The Center now also provides day camps
for developmentally and physically challenged youth, a pre-school program for children in the community, and other programs that attract
area school children to Hillside's farm and education center.

In 1971, School officials issued an appeal through radio and newspapers for a school bell to replace the School's cracked bell. The School
received many offers for bells that were priced too high for its budget. In November, 1971, Ernest Wunner of Brewster donated an old
fire bell to Green Chimneys. Wunner was a member of the Brewster School Board and also operated the Brewster Iron Works. He was able
to build a mount that would allow the bell to hang from a pole on the School grounds. Green Chimneys students supplied the labor to
remove layers of silver paint to expose the brass surface of the bell. A formal dedication of the bell took place a few days later.

The well-known wildlife conservation center was created in the 1980s, and now is home to several permanently disabled birds of prey and
other wildlife. The center also provides wildlife rehabilitation and rescue for injured animals, which often can be nursed to health and
released back into the wild.

Green Chimneys Farm now encompasses 160 acres, almost 400 animals, and over 40 varieties of rare birds. The school has both
residential programs and day treatment programs. Most of the children are boys, and about half are from New York City. The
others come from the surrounding area including Connecticut, and also from other states. Doctors, veterinarians, and social workers from
around the globe have visited Green Chimneys to learn about its work. Recent construction has brought the complex a new school
building and a renovated indoor pool and gymnasium. A certified organic farm operates during the growing seasons.